Biofunctional polymers prepared in supercritical fluid

Abstract

Process for the preparation of a composition comprising a biofunctional polymer substrate and biofunctional material substrate adapted for use in or in association with the human or animal body, cultivated or uncultivated living matter, wherein the biofunctional material substrate is substantially insoluble in the polymer substrate and/or a supercritical fluid, wherein the process comprises contacting a mixture of the substrates or their precursors with a supercritical fluid under supercritical conditions and conditions of reduced viscosity and physical blending to plasticise and swell the polymer and distribute the biofunctional material substrate throughout the polymer, and releasing the fluid under subcritical conditions, wherein the substrates are adapted to be isolated in form of a solid admixture comprising the biofunctional material substrate in substantially unchanged chemical form, and in substantially unchanged physical form, composition obtained thereby, polymer matrix embodiment thereof and the process for its preparation.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A process for the preparation of a composition comprising a solid admixture of a biofunctional polymer substrate and a biofunctional material substrate for use in or in association with the human or animal body, cultivated or uncultivated living matter, which process comprises mixing the biofunctional material substrate in solid or liquid phase into the biofunctional polymer substrate in fluid phase or solid phase and a supercritical fluid in fluid phase under supercritical conditions of reduced viscosity to plasticize and swell the biofunctional polymer substrate and under conditions of physical blending to distribute the biofunctional material substrate throughout the biofunctional polymer substrate, and releasing the fluid under supercritical conditions, in situ, by depressurizing a pressure vessel to obtain a monolithic block of the biofunctional polymer substrate, wherein a biofunctional polymer substrate consistency, which retains a foamed state on releasing supercritical fluid is selected or less viscous biofunctional polymer substrate consistency which relaxes on releasing the supercritical fluid is selected. 
     
     
       2. The process according to  claim 1 , wherein a porous foamed monolithic block is obtained. 
     
     
       3. The process according to  claim 1 , wherein a non-foamed or non-porous monolith is obtained. 
     
     
       4. The process according to  claim 1 , wherein precursors of the biofunctional polymer substrate, precursors of the biofunctional material substrate, or both react to form the biofunctional polymer substrate, the biofunctional material substrate, or both in situ. 
     
     
       5. The process according to  claim 1 , carried out in the presence of at least one additional carrier or solvent. 
     
     
       6. A The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the physical blending is by impregnation or diffusion of fluid throughout the biofunctional polymer substrate and biofunctional material substrate system. 
     
     
       7. A The process according to  claim 1 , wherein temperature and pressure are controlled to provide density matching of the supercritical fluid and the biofunctional polymer substrate. 
     
     
       8. The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the biofunctional polymer substrate is non-toxic to humans and animals. 
     
     
       9. The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the biofunctional material substrate is selected for the group consisting of bioactive materials, bioinert materials, and biocidal materials. 
     
     
       10. The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the biofunctional material substrate is a pharamacologically active compound selected from the group consisting of: pharmaceutical products; veterinary products; human and animal health products; growth promoting, structural, and cosmetic products; agrochemical and crop protection products; and natural and synthetic barriers for immobilizing poisons and toxins by absorption, interaction, and reaction. 
     
     
       11. The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the supercritical fluid is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, di-nitrogen oxide, carbon disulphide, aliphatic C 2-10 hydrocarbons, halogenated C 2-10 hydrocarbons, C 6-10 aromatics, C 1-3 alcohols, sulphur halides, ammonia, xenon, and krypton brought into supercritical conditions at a temperature of between 0-300° C. and pressures of 7-1000 bar. 
     
     
       12. The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the supercritical fluid is carbon dioxide brought into supercritical conditions at temperature between 1-300 C. and pressure of 12-800 bar. 
     
     
       13. A composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       14. The composition according to  claim 13 , in a formulation for topical, oral, rectal, parenteral, epicutaneous, mucosal, intravenous, intramuscular, or intrarespiratory administration. 
     
     
       15. The composition according to  claim 13 , wherein the formulation is a cream, a gel, a syrup, a paste, a spray, a solution, a suspension, a powder, a microparticle, a capsule, a tablet, a pellet, a suppositary, a pessary, a colloidal matrix, a monolith, or bolus. 
     
     
       16. The composition according to  claim 13 , wherein the composition may be used as a filler, a cement, a solid aggregate, a monolith, pin, a crown, an orthopaedic implant, a protective barrier, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       17. The composition according to  claim 13 , which further comprises a reinforcing structure selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic, carbon, or glass. 
     
     
       18. The composition according to  claim 13 , wherein the biofunctional polymer substrate and the biofunctional material substrate are present as a solid admixture within individual particle size of monoliths in centimeter range. 
     
     
       19. The composition according to  claim 13 , wherein the biofunctional polymer substrate and the biofunctional material substrate are present in the form of shaped or unshaped monoliths. 
     
     
       20. The composition according to  claim 13 , which comprises one or more layers of at least one biofunctional material substrate, wherein the biofunctional material substrate is (staged) released by delayed water penetration or by restricted rates of substrate diffusion through voids in the biofunctional polymer substrate in the course of biodegradation. 
     
     
       21. The composition according to  claim 13 , comprising the biofunctional material substrate in loading of 0.01 to 99.9 wt%. 
     
     
       22. The composition according to  claim 13 , wherein the composition is pharmacologically active and is a pharmaceutical product, a veterinary product, a human health product, an animal health product, a growth promoting, structural or cosmetic product, an agrochemical or crop protection product, or a natural or synthetic barrier for immobilizing poisons and toxins.